Used
by Anonymous Girl Gamer
Summary: Some time after his latest adventure, an old friend of Mario's pays a visit.
1. Used

**Hi, this is my latest story! This one's only going to have two chapters. It takes place after the Super Mario Odyssey ending, so... SPOILERS! Also if you're a hardcore Peach fan you'll probably like the next chapter more than this one, but please give it a chance either way. To be honest, although usually I prefer the Princess, I was more on Mario's side than Peach's on this one (though he was a bit of a jerk as well), and my very first reaction was that he should settle for Pauline, though now I've changed my mind. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Nintendo. Without them, this fanfic wouldn't have been possible.**

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The heartbroken Mario sat on his armchair at home, his eyes closed with misery. Pauline was visiting him in the Mushroom Kingdom, but to tell the truth, he didn't feel emotionally able to spend time with his friend. She was due any moment now, and he was actually a little apprehensive about it.

The door knocked, too soon for his liking. That must be her. He got up slowly and answered it.

"Hi Mario!" said Pauline brightly, giving him a quick hug.

"Hey Pauline," he greeted in a flat tone.

Yep, that was her alright. Friendly, bubbly, never a dull moment with her around. But... she'd never really compare to his Peach. Well, he wasn't fully sure of her feelings for him, even though they were supposedly boyfriend and girlfriend. But she did like him... didn't she? After all, she didn't have to accept his proposal of marriage. He'd gone about it the wrong way: who shoved flowers in their lover's face? Who asked a girl for their hand in marriage just after saving her from a forced one?

Yes, clearly he had been in the wrong. Peach had been right to treat him the way she had.

"Mario?"

"Oh... heh heh..." He'd been so caught up in his daydreams he'd forgotten that Pauline was still at the door. Embarrassed, he led her inside. He slumped on one of the armchairs, followed by his brown haired ex. He'd met her in New Donk City on his latest adventure, and since then she'd suggested they meet up sometime in the Mushroom Kingdom; she hadn't been there in ages, and there was so much she wanted to catch up on!

Well, she was here.

She broke the silence. "So, how are things going around here?"

"Eh... good, I guess."

Pauline eyed him. "Hmmm, really? You don't look so good."

Was it that obvious? He wasn't aware of it, but everyone else was; it was clear that he was upset with his rejection when one saw his hair, dishevelled from running his fingers through it in despair, and his tired, sad eyes. Normally, he liked to make out he was an optimistic hero, nothing could get to him, et cetera et cetera.

But Pauline's question... Suddenly, he wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to tell her how hurt he was, how much he was suffering, how his hopes were shattered, his fears that Peach didn't love him as much as he had thought.

But still, he shook his head. "No, no. Everything's fine. I'm just tired."

"Oh. Okay..." she said suspiciously. "Well, if you ever need my help, I'm here."

"Hmm."

Mario was starting to think that her visit wasn't going to be very enjoyable for either of them. Unlike their previous encounters, this one was awkward, even more awkward than the time she'd broken up with him. He didn't know why and he didn't know how to make it less unpleasant. Maybe it was the way Pauline was looking at him, or maybe she was bringing back bad memories of when she'd broken up with him, something he couldn't handle all that well.

 _Well, if you ever need my help, I'm here._

Maybe it wouldn't do any harm to talk about it... but he wasn't sure he wanted to.

"It's Princess Peach, isn't it?" she asked suddenly. Was he imagining things, or was there a little sadness in Pauline's blue-grey eyes? One thing was for sure, despite her cautious approach to the situation, she wanted answers.

"H-how do you know?"

She fiddled with her fingers as she spoke. "Oh, you know, people talk and rumours go around, and... I just heard these things. So? It's her, isn't it?"

So the whole town was talking about it. Great. Well, there was no escaping it now.

"Um... as a matter of fact... yes."

"Tell me about it."

He didn't really feel like it, but she seemed genuinely concerned, so...

"I proposed to her, and... she rejected me."

Pauline nodded, prompting him to continue.

"So basically what happened was, as you know I crashed Bowser and Peach's wedding, and yeah, I saved her. She... I proposed to her, but Bowser, he pushed me out of the way, and I pushed him back, and... I did something I'm... not proud of."

"... What did you do?"

"I... I shoved a flower in her face, and so did Bowser, and I can't blame her for what she did next, she... she... rejected me. She rejected both of us. She walked away on to my ship and she left. She waved at me and told us she was going home, and I ran and got on the ship. I dunno what happened to Bowser... I jumped on him to get on the ship, and... anyway, I went back here, but some Toads told me she disappeared... I found out she went on holidays with Tiara. I followed her around the world, and she was pretty nice, considering what I'd done, and..."

"Wait. So I'm gonna assume she thanked you after rescuing her."

Mario thought about it. "No, but you see..."

"Right. And you say she left with your ship, yeah?"

"Yeah, but..."

"And you had to jump on Bowser to get on it? So if Bowser wasn't there you were screwed?"

"Well I'd have found my own way back I guess, I mean that's what Bowser did..."

"Not the point. Think about it, Mario. She almost left you on the moon with your worst enemy, who by the way can breathe fire and crush you. She didn't thank you at all, after you saving her every week for years. She stole _your_ ship, and used it for her own benefit. And you're okay with that?"

"But I love her!"

Pauline flinched and raised her voice. "But... that's not the point. So just because you shoved a flower at her, she'd gonna disregard everything you've done for her and abandon you? I mean, how ungrateful is that Mario? I know she's a princess, but you deserve better than her if you ask me!"

"But I love her..."

"No Mario, you're obsessed with her. I'm not saying she had to marry you there and then..."

The ex-plumber rushed to her defence. "Of course not! I was impulsive and immature and selfish, and..."

"But! You do deserve a bit of gratitude. She's using you, my boy. She's using you for herself. She likes the attention and I knew it when I saw her."

"But why didn't you tell me that, so?"

"Cos I didn't want to hurt your feelings! I mean, it's obvious! She can fight, she doesn't need you. She likes what you do for her, not who you are. She... she can go get another hero if she doesn't want to get her precious hands dirty."

"But I'm her hero!"

"You don't have to be."

They stared into each other's eyes for a few moments. Though he hated to admit it, Pauline was right. And Pauline... she only wanted her friend to be happy. She'd been the one to break it off with him for work reasons, but Mario would always have a special place in her heart. He hadn't been her first boyfriend, and neither had he been her last, but there was something about him that stuck with her.

Meanwhile, the man in red was a little confused. Looking at her attractive face and noticing how friendly she still was towards him, he was reminded of why he'd fallen for her in the first place. But why was he thinking about her this way? And why were they still staring at each other?

Just then, a familiar, high pitched scream reverberated through the house.

"Mariooooooooooooo!"

"Oh, gotta go!" exclaimed Mario, dashing off his chair.

Pauline stood up. "But Mario, don't you get it? She's using you!"

"I need to save her!"

He tried to unlock the door, but Pauline caught him by the shoulders, made him face her and shook him.

"Ah! Let me go!"

"Are you stupid? You don't _have_ to rescue her, you don't _have_ to listen to her pathetic cries! Cos she's only going to reward you with a kiss, maybe a cake if you're lucky! This is not a normal relationship! _Our_ relationship was normal! She doesn't care about you, Mario." She stopped shaking him, but kept a firm grip. "She lets you go on dangerous life threatening adventures when she's able to defeat Bowser herself. Stop thinking she needs you. Trust me, she doesn't."

Mario looked into her eyes. "I gotta save her, Pauline."

She sighed in exasperation, but let him go. He opened the door to see King Koopa in his airship, with the Princess still screaming for him. Of course she needed help. How could he ignore her helplessness, her pleas?

As he ran he got closer and closer, catching up. The King was flying low, so with a bit of luck he'd be able to try and jump aboard. Just a few more sprints and...

He stopped.

Why? Why was he doing this? Pauline... how could he have doubted her words? She was right! All of his efforts... just for a peck on the cap or the nose and a piece of cake? And the last time, not even that? Was that worth it? Was that really worth it?

No.

He glanced up at the Koopa King, who was a little further away now. He sprinted some more, then stopped and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"I surrender!"

He hadn't heard him.

"You hear me, King Koopa? I surrender!"

This time, Bowser stopped the airship, turned around, and saw his rival. Had he just said what he thought he'd said?

"Yes, you heard me! I surrender!"

The beast lowered his ship, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

"Take the Princess," Mario continued, "cos I'm not rescuing her this time. You won, Bowser Koopa. You won. Happy now?"

"B-but Mario, what... what are you saying?" faltered Peach.

He looked her right in the eyes, but this time it wasn't with love, oh no. It was with disgust.

"What am I saying? I'm saying that every time I rescue you, you barely thank me. And the last time: what was that all about? I made one mistake, _one_ mistake, and I'm sorry I treated you that way, but did you really need to cold shoulder me like that? As if... as if there was nothing going on between us? But okay, I forgive you on that one since it was my fault. But you know what's unforgivable? You went on _my_ ship, and decided, you know what, I'm going home without the man who saved me time after time after time. A thank you would have been nice, but _no_ , you couldn't even do that. Heh, if it hadn't been for Bowser I'd have had to find my own way home. Ironic, huh? My worst enemy helping me more than my girlfriend!

"So, Princess, you can save yourself this time, and the next, and the next, cos knowing you you'll probably get kidnapped all the time for attention. If you can fight Bowser in Smash, you can fight him this time too. But I won't be fighting your battles for you anymore, Princess."

"S-so I get to... kidnap her? A-and you won't... defeat me anymore?" stammered Bowser.

"She's all yours."

"Bwahahahaha! This is the best day of my life! Finally, finally!"

"But Mario," said the white faced Princess. "You surely don't mean what you said, I mean, we're an item..."

By then Pauline, who had been watching the whole time from the house, was running over to them to see what all of the fuss was about.

Mario smiled at the brunette and put an arm around her waist, much to her surprise.

"I do," he said, smirking slightly at the blonde. "Now if you'll excuse me... I want to spend some time with my _real_ girlfriend. Cos you know, Peach, a good relationship isn't supposed to be one-sided."

Bowser smiled gloatingly at Mario. "Are you done yet? I wanna organise a celebration party at my place."

Mario nodded, and as the King laughed and left with the silent Princess himself and Pauline headed back to his home.

"Well said, Mario," congratulated the brunette.

"Heh... you were right, Pauline. About everything. And... I just wanted to thank you for that. I guess I knew all along she didn't love me, I just wasn't able to face up to it. I was stupid. And I'm sorry if I ruined your visit."

"No, no, I enjoyed it very much!"

She seemed sincere, but how could that be true if all he'd been doing was moping around?

"I know what you're thinking," she said, interrupting his thoughts. "But trust me, my day is always brighter when you're there. I guess... you were always more... special than the others, you know what I'm saying?"

He knew, but was also baffled. Was she saying... was she saying that she still had feelings for him?

"So..." she teased. "Did you mean it when you said I was your girlfriend?"

Mario blushed a little and ran his fingers along his neck. "Heh heh... not exactly..."

She frowned, so he continued quickly.

"But... I guess we could... work on that happening? I-I mean, I'm not ready for a serious relationship of course, but... maybe we could start from the beginning and see what happens?"

Her smile returned. "Yeah, I'd like that." She put her arm around him in a non-affectionate way.

But he was fine with that... for the moment. He smiled. He wasn't ready to jump right into another woman's arms after his disastrous proposal... but in the future, he might take his chances with Pauline.

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 **I hope this was realistic, let me know what you think. Epilogue coming soon!**


	2. Epilogue

**Hi, sorry about the delay!**

 **yee:** **Well, I guess we've different opinions! I totally understand what you're saying though. Personally, I'm not sure myself if Peach was ACTUALLY going to leave Mario on the moon; normally I wouldn't believe it of her, but since she was a little mean about the rejection... Even if it was meant as a joke, for me, I didn't think it was a particularly nice one. This is just personal though, there are many different opinions on the ending which sometimes clash and I understand if you're upset by what I wrote. Thanks for taking the time to review my story.**

 **anon:** **I'm so, so glad you liked this! I wasn't sure how people were going to take this at all. Mario X Peach is my favourite couple after Luigi X Daisy, but I also ship Mario and Pauline a little, so I guess you could say this was an experiment! Thank you so much for the feedback and here's the epilogue!**

 **(first) Guest:** **Yeah, I guess that's true. I suppose he changed in this story because of his hurt. Hopefully he's more in character in this for reviewing!**

 **(second) Guest:** **Here's the epilogue and thanks for reading my fic!**

 **Pound my Angus:** **Sorry about the delay! Thanks for checking my fanfic out!**

 **LostGuy:** **Yeah, that's be really funny! I'd have used that idea, but unfortunately I couldn't seem to fit it in anywhere. Great idea, though, and thanks for the review!**

 **CapitalClassShip:** **Yeah, sometimes I wish Peach would be more affectionate towards Mario, and give him better rewards. I'm not even talking about Odyssey, in every game all she gives him is a kiss, if even that. I think she loves him in her own way but she's just more reserved about it. I dunno. Maybe Nintendo just wants to keep the game rating low by not making them kiss? I'd better stop now or this reply will end up being a rant. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **Thanks to PokemonForever9000, DameFlemmarde, poBBpC, CapitalClassShip, candyopal and Shayotita for favouriting and following, eva017 for favouriting and kcrineon and Destine Star for following this fic!**

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"I know it's a beautiful place, and I'm really excited for this, but... you sure this is a good place to go for our honeymoon?" Pauline questioned as she rolled her suitcase up the ramp and into the Odyssey ship.

Mario followed her in and gazed at his wife with love. Wow... it sure felt weird to think of themselves as married. To think that almost five years previously, he'd been in love with the Mushroom Kingdom Princess and had even asked for her hand in marriage. His old life as a hero seemed so far away; when he'd permanently returned to New Donk City a couple of months after his last adventure, he'd also returned to doing what he did best: plumbing.

Of course, he'd been angry with the Princess for a while. Even when himself and Pauline had ended up going out within a year, he couldn't help holding a grudge against Peach. But time passed, and so did his feelings of hatred. Now, he felt as if he could face her without resentment.

Mario stepped onto the Odyssey and made it rise. After a few minutes, the ship was sailing through the skies. As he looked out upon the clouds, he realised yet again what a lucky man he was.

"What are you thinking of?" smiled the brunette, interrupting her husband's thoughts.

"Not much," he shrugged. "Just thinking about how lucky I am."

Her smile broadened, but she was still wanted a response to what she had asked.

"I feel pretty lucky too, but Mario... you didn't answer my question."

"Huh?"

"Are you sure the Mushroom Kingdom is the right place to go? I mean, it might be a bad idea, because... you know why."

"Relax, we'll be fine! I finally feel ready to face my past. I feel... as if I need to go back. Besides, we can go someplace else afterwards if we don't have a good time."

"Yeah. At least we don't have to pay for a flight like we used to have to do. Wow, it sure is beautiful up here. Look how tiny the people are!" she said with childlike wonder. Only Mario knew that side of her: she acted professional with everyone else.

They were silent for most of the journey as they held hands, and after a short while, Pauline pointed excitedly at a mushroom shaped island.

"Oh look, I can see it now!" she squealed.

Mario guided his Odyssey towards it, and after a few minutes they landed on a grassy patch of land in the middle of nowhere. Himself and Pauline stepped out of the ship, and they both breathed in the fresh air that was more or less scarce in the city. He looked around him, at the more rural setting he had been so familiar with.

He was back.

As he glimpsed the castle in the distance, memories came flooding back, many good, a few not so good. He fondly recalled all the fun he'd had, the parties, the kart racing, Peach's delicious cakes. A sad, nostalgic smile formed on his lips. He'd always have a soft spot for the Princess, though of course it wasn't love anymore. Time had led the plumber to see things clearer, and he now realised that that situation five years ago may not have been entirely her fault. After all, he himself hadn't been that affectionate with her. Come to think of it, Peach was the one who always kissed him first, never the other way around. And he hadn't proposed at the best time, to be fair.

"Wow," breathed Pauline. "Well... this sure is a change from New Donk City! We haven't been here in a while now..."

"Yeah," agreed Mario. "I can't believe it..."

"Hmm. So... where will we go first?"

"I dunno. How about we just take a walk around?"

"Yeah, sure."

"So... I know this place we can go to, don't think you've ever been there with me... there should be a cafe in Toad Town. Hopefully it's still there."

"Hmm. But won't it be such a long walk?"

"No, no!"

She looked doubtfully at her surroundings. She thanked her stars that she'd worn flat shoes instead of the black heels she'd planned on using originally.

"Don't worry, it's nearer than you think."

"Hmm. Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"Hey, that's my line!"

They both laughed as Mario grabbed her hand and ran, making them laugh even harder. They tended to act like teenagers sometimes, at least when they were together. That was his favourite thing about her: despite their age, she could always make him feel really young again, even though he was in his thirties, just married, and with a few grey hairs.

They slowed down as they approached the rather old-fashioned cafe, and walked inside. As Mario sniffed the air, more memories popped into his head. He remembered coming in here after a long day playing sports, like tennis or golf. The cakes here were nowhere near as good as Peach's, but it was the quaint interior and the tables that could seat a wide number of people that attracted him, his brother and his friends to the place. Wow, he only realised now how much he missed his other buddies, like Yoshi and Daisy and Toad.

"Can I take your order?" asked a Toad waitress after they'd sat at a wooden table for two. She gave him an odd look, as if trying to place him. Mario was also a little weirded out by the talking mushroom, since it had been a long time since he'd seen a Toad.

"Ah yes," he started. "I'd like a..."

"Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh! I know you!"

"Uhh...?"

"You're Mario! As in, _the_ Mario, am I right? Oh my gosh, I've heard so much about you!"

All heads turned to look at the newly wed couple, and everyone gasped. Before he knew it a mob of Toads was around him, practically smothering him.

"Our hero's back! Finally!"

"Where have you been all this time? New Donk City, right?"

"How many years was it since we last saw you, four? Five?"

"Can I have your autograph?"

"Mario, is that really you?"

"Oh my gosh!"

"Never thought we'd see the day..."

"Ah, heh heh..." chuckled the plumber uneasily, unused to this amount of fame. True, he was pretty well known in New Donk City, but as the mayor's husband, not as a hero. His games still sold well over there, but he tended to blend in with the others... as much as a walking animated man could fit in with realistic looking humans, anyway. After all, he hadn't rescued anyone in their kingdom, so he wasn't quite as important in their eyes.

After most of the Toads started shoving notebooks and autograph books in his face, he began to get a little irritated. Thankfully, his wife sensed his discomfort.

"Hey, hey, back off!" she said loudly. All turned to look at the mayor in awe. Two famous people in the small cafe? Nice! But judging from her expression, she was in no mood for signing books.

"Leave me and my husband alone. We came here for some peace and quiet."

After a few seconds, all the reluctant Toads obeyed, and resumed eating and conversing with each other. Mario gave Pauline's hand a squeeze under the table and smiled at her.

"Thanks," he whispered.

"No problem. There's a reason why we left the city, huh? To get away from all of that commotion."

"Yeah."

He noticed that the waitress was still standing there, and gave her a sheepish grin.

"Heh heh... I'd like a chocolate cake and a medium latte please?"

"Yep. And..." She looked expectantly at Pauline.

"I'd like a strawberry shortcake and a glass of apple juice please."

"Yep..." She blushed a little and looked at her feet. "I... I'm sorry about the incident."

"Ah, leave it," said Mario. "It's fine."

"R-really?" She ran off, not waiting for the brunette's answer.

Finally, they were alone.

"I still can't believe we're married," said Pauline. "I mean, we've known each other for so long..."

"Yeah..."

"Imagine, we could have been happily married years ago if we'd worked it out. It was just... my job at the time was so demanding, I was young and naive and work came first, and..."

Mario leaned across the table and playfully put a finger to her lips. "Shhh... that's all in the past. Let's think about our future together instead."

Her brow cleared. "Yeah, you're right. And..." She smirked a little. "Speaking of our future... don't you think we should start planning for a child soon?"

"Uhh? Oh, um..."

She laughed at the look of panic on her husband's face. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! We've still plenty of time to be thinking about that, huh?"

"Y-yeah..." Not that he didn't want children, he really did want to have a family. She'd just caught him unawares, and this was something for the future, not now.

"So, how are you feeling about this holiday so far, Mario? You're... fine?"

"Oh yeah, I feel great! We've still more to see, though, like I definitely want to see my Mamma and Papa. Pity about Luigi living in Sarasaland now, isn't it?"

"Yeah. At least you saw him at our wedding, anyway."

"Yeah."

"Was his wife there? I can't remember, we invited so many people..."

"No, she couldn't. I invited her, but she was too busy with her royal duties and couldn't come. And you, Pauline? Anywhere special you want to go to?"

"Hmm... I'd like to see the shops around here, if you don't mind?"

"Anything for you, Pauline," he beamed, placing his hands on hers. They gazed into each other's eyes for a few moments, their faces coming in closer, and they kissed each other, not too passionately for there were others around, but it still left them a little breathless. They stopped not a second too soon, for the waitress hurriedly placed their food on the table, fearing a reprimand from the mayor.

As Mario ate his slice of cake (which wasn't quite like they used to make it), he smiled happily as he contemplated on how well his life had turned out. A wonderful spouse, a luxurious home in New Donk City and most of all, happiness. What more could he ask for?

His eyes stared idly at the door, which happened to open. A woman in her early thirties walked in, wearing a pink, knee length, floral print dress. Her shoulder length blonde hair was streaked with purple, and her cheeks were flushed from the wind, which reddened even more when she saw a certain someone.

Mario's idle gaze turned into one of disbelief. No, surely that wasn't her... Peach never went anywhere unaccompanied... Peach always wore her crown... Peach would never change her hairstyle so completely...

But if she wasn't Peach... why did she look as if she'd just seen a ghost?

But surely... no... not now of all times, not here of all places...

She took a few slow steps forward, and she stuttered nervously as she greeted the couple.

"M-Mario...? Is that... you?"

Mario nodded dumbly as he eyed her face. Despite her change of style, her face was still as perfect as ever, yet... it was not perfect. Beautiful... but nowhere near as beautiful as Pauline. There was no denying that she was stunning, he'd be an idiot to say she wasn't.

But she'd never compare to his Pauline. Not anymore.

All three were staring at each other awkwardly, so the Princess broke the silence, still standing up.

"So... how are things with you, Mario?"

"Good." And he meant it. Five years ago his answer would have been different, but that was back when he was lovelorn and heartbroken. Times had changed and so had he, so had his life and his feelings.

"A-and what about you, Pauline?"

"I'm okay. _We're_ okay," she replied with a dirty look.

Again, silence.

"Why... why don't you have a seat...?" stammered the plumber, regretting the words as soon as he'd said them.

To say he still hated her was an overstatement. To say he wasn't still annoyed by her ingratitude would be a lie. Conflicting emotions filled his mind as she grabbed a chair and sat next to Pauline, much to her obvious disgust.

He hadn't meant to hurt the brunette. He hoped Peach would leave as soon as possible. He wanted to enjoy his honeymoon with his wife, not spend his first afternoon here with his ex.

"Well..." smiled Peach. "It really has been a long time since we've last met, Mario." Her smile faded as she recalled their last time as a couple.

"Hmm."

"So..." Her eyes settled on the table, avoiding everyone's eyes, when she caught sight of Pauline's pale hand. Her eyes widened as she took in the diamond ring on her left finger. She searched for a ring on Mario's hand, though he wore gloves, so it wasn't visible. He guessed what she was looking for, so he took off his glove and spread his hand out on the wooden table.

"Yes Peach, we're married. Just a couple of days ago, actually."

"Oh. Oh! Um... congratulations!"

"Thanks."

False grins remained glued onto their faces as each each struggled with what to say next. Just when the atmosphere was becoming too tense, Peach looked at her ex's wife.

"Pauline... would you mind giving myself and Mario a moment?"

It seemed as if she was going to refuse, but Mario, sensing trouble, gave her a tiny wink and nod.

"Oh, um yes, go ahead, no problem..."

As Mario and Peach got up and walked out of the cafe, Pauline couldn't help feeling a stab of jealousy. Of course Peach had to ruin everything! It was unreasonable of her, she knew. Mario would never be unfaithful to her. His wink had told her that he was just as uncomfortable about the situation as she was. She just... she just wished it hadn't happened on their honeymoon!

She could trust Mario, though. She only prayed that Peach wouldn't stir up old, hurtful memories for him. She loved him with all her heart, and only wanted him to be happy. She fervently hoped he'd be okay out there.

Meanwhile, outside the cafe, the pair focused on a tree in the background, neither knowing what to say or do. Mario realised that he wasn't as indifferent to seeing the Princess again as he'd expected would be the case. Seeing her face reminded him of his thankless job as a hero, all the times he'd saved her from Bowser in the hopes of getting kissed and to please her, and his disappointment that last time he'd rescued her. He never told Pauline, but he still had nightmares, except these were much worse than the real event, because this time, it was the brunette who was rejecting him. It was always a relief to wake up whenever this took place, to discover that it was all a dream.

"So..." he said, scratching the back of his neck nervously, "what did you want to talk about... Peach?"

"Oh... that..."

"Look Peach," he snapped. "I don't want to play around here, I don't want this to be any harder than it has to be, I just want to know what you want to tell me. Oh yeah, and you owe me an explanation for what happened years ago, yeah? Now if you don't mind, I'd like to spend time with my wife. So? Are you going to get to the point?"

"This is hard for me too, Mario."

The plumber was a little embarrassed by his outburst. "I'm sorry, Princess. I... I probably shouldn't have said all of that."

"It's fine... So, tell me. I heard you moved back to New Donk City."

"Yeah."

"That's pretty nice. I heard it's very different from here... from what you told me, anyway."

"Oh, yeah. All cars and buildings and... stuff."

"Hmm."

"And... how are you doing?"

"Oh I'm fine, I suppose."

"You've changed a lot..."

"Oh yeah. About that, I... I suppose you're wondering how I got away from Bowser that time."

It was true that he'd thought about that when he'd first moved away.

"So... you... you were right, Mario. I can defend myself, I always could. Hee hee... he never kidnapped me again after that."

Mario opened his mouth to speak, but was stopped.

"Please Mario, just hear me out. You were right. I was using you. I was horrible to you and I never loved you and... I'm sorry, Mario. I hope you can forgive me."

"You do realise how much you hurt me..."

"Yes, and I'm really sorry about that. But... you were wrong about one thing."

"Hmm?"

"You said... you said I was using you for attention, but I wasn't, it wasn't because I wanted to get noticed."

"So why..."

"I needed you, Mario. But not to come and save me. I needed you so I could keep up my image of a stereotypical princess. You see..." She sighed. "I cared about what my citizens thought of me. I had a good reputation and I was everything a perfect princess should be: beautiful, well-mannered, concerned not just about my kingdom but my people, too.

"But... since I was, not even sixteen, Toadsworth... he meant well. But sometimes, I... I just wished he'd leave me alone. You remember him, Mario. He was always worried about my well-being, sometimes a little too much. Well... He wanted to see me happily married off. He kept trying to find suitors for me, but I didn't like any of them. He also taught me how to behave like a princess. I pretended I loved these lessons, but every weekend, I'd sneak out. I'd go all the way to Daisy's castle in Sarasaland and we'd practise sports and self-defence together. I never showed you that side of me, or anyone else, but I could be a tomboy when I wanted to be. I could fight better than Daisy after a while. Weird, huh? A so-called elegant princess being able to defend herself."

Mario now had no desire to interrupt Peach, who was almost talking to herself at this stage. He'd loved her so much, yet he knew next to nothing about her.

"So... a few years later, as you know, Bowser kidnapped me for the first time. I was scared, of course. Everyone thinks I just let him cage me but believe me, I tried. I tried to fight him, but I still had much to learn when it came to outsmarting Bowser. He only caged me _after_ I gave him trouble though, remember.

"Then you came along. And... you saved me, and... I was very grateful for that. I was grateful for all the times you rescued me back in those days, because I really needed you then. Then came the rumours. We'd end up married, they said. So because you were my hero, it meant we should be husband and wife in their eyes. But I was fine with that, since it was all talk.

"Then, as Bowser started to make these kidnappings a regular thing, I learnt how to make my days at Bowser's castle more bearable. I managed to sweet-talk him into freeing me from the cage and giving me my own room instead, so I'd be more comfortable. I got him to like me, maybe a little too much, but I couldn't help that. I didn't do anything to lead him on Mario, I was friendly, not flirtatious. Of course he was too selfish to set me free, but freedom only within the castle was better than nothing.

"Then, one day, I got out of his castle myself. You weren't there Mario, and neither was Luigi. You were on holidays in New Donk City. It's surprisingly easy to get out of there, you know. Bowser's not exactly the smartest."

"You... you escaped?"

Peach gave a little smile. "I did. And I got safely home. But Toadsworth... he was... alarmed, to say the least. We had a talk, and... he said I must never, ever do that again. Because... I had an image. An image of a helpless, delicate, ladylike princess. That was why my kingdom loved me, he said. And a princess who could defend herself didn't match that image. That wouldn't do, he said. It was almost... like lying to my people. They thought I was one person, how would they feel if I turned out to be different? I still don't understand what all the fuss was about, but I obeyed, because that's what princesses do. They do what their advisers tell them to do, even if they're supposedly in charge. Do not worry, do not be afraid, he said. You'd always rescue me anyway, I'd always be safe.

"From then on, I began to resent you. You believed, everyone believed you were rescuing me when I could get away by myself if I wanted to. And as you began to fall for me, I started to dislike you more and more every time you saved me. When you asked me out, I said yes, but not because I liked you, I just needed you so my image would stay intact. Who would rescue me apart from you? Luigi? No. Not if I rejected you. So then I'd _have_ to go against Toadsworth's wishes and defeat Bowser myself. That's why I said yes. Toadsworth warned me not to be too friendly with you, not to be too open. As if I wanted to... But he didn't know that, he thought I loved you when actually I was thinking of what he'd said before. Anyway, there was no way I could marry a plumber, he said. Date one yes, you were a hero and he could make exceptions. But marry, no.

"Then you asked me to marry you, you and Bowser. Of course Bowser was out of the question. But you... I just panicked. I didn't want nor was I allowed to marry you. I... I never though you loved me that much, I thought it was a huge crush that you'd get over, I thought I was acting distant enough for you to lose interest... turned out I was wrong.

"That's why I was so harsh with you, Mario. Not because you asked me at a very bad time, not because you shoved a flower in my face, I was frustrated, I was sick of being rescued, I'd had enough and I'm so so sorry I seemed ungrateful to you, Mario, but it didn't change how I felt.

"The last time I got kidnapped, well... what you said... it had a big impact on me. I was free. You weren't going to come back for me anymore. I doubted Luigi would rescue me out of loyalty to you, which he didn't, so I was free to defend myself. And I did. Suddenly, Toadsworth's words didn't matter anymore, and it felt so, so good. Bowser didn't go after me anymore. Of course there was talk, but I didn't care. I changed my style. I started wearing shorter, more ordinary dresses, and..." She smiled. "I always wanted to have purple hair, and cut it. As you can see I didn't dye it completely, but it's still better than it was."

Mario nodded slowly. It made sense. It all made sense. She'd acted rude because she'd never needed him in the first place. And he'd been too in awe of her beauty to see the person she was underneath, and he only realised that now, after five years. How shallow of him! He was rather ashamed of himself.

"Aww, Peach... I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry, I was selfish and I honestly didn't think, it all makes so much sense now, and..."

"No Mario. _I'm_ sorry, I apologise for not telling you this earlier and letting you fall in love with me, when I didn't feel the same."

Okay, he couldn't fully forgive her for that, but it had worked out fine in the end, so... did it really matter all that much?

No.

"Heh... well... I guess we're quits."

"I... suppose so!"

"But Peach, I need to ask you a question."

"Yes?"

"The time _you_ rescued me..."

"Oh that... Well, nobody really remembers that, do they? I mean, they only remember your adventures. I don't know how but that's been kept pretty quiet throughout the kingdom."

"But if you didn't like me then why did you save me? Oh... yeah. For your image."

"Yes."

There was another awkward silence, where both avoided each others' eyes. Then, the man in red shrugged.

"Well... I guess that's it."

"I suppose so. Oh, and... I guess that was quite a complicated story, but... it's not too easy being royalty. And I hope I didn't go on about it for too long, it's just... it's being going on for years, and..."

"No no, it's fine, I'm happy you explained everything. So, I... I'd better get back inside. Pauline's probably wondering what's taking me so long."

"Yes."

She noticed how his face lit up just by saying his wife's name, and she knew he'd have a wonderful marriage. Now that's they'd apologised for the past, they were both free of that lie they called a relationship, and could get on with their lives without feelings of guilt and discontent.

Mario was just about to reenter the cafe, so she put a hand on his shoulder.

"Mario...?"

He turned around. "Yeah?"

"I... congratulations on your marriage, Mario. I mean it. I... I wish you and Pauline the best for your future together."

He blinked for a moment, then grinned. "Thanks. I wish you the best too."

Peach smiled, as the plumber walked into the cafe and out of her life. She bore no hard feelings against him anymore. Technically, he was her hero, bu not in the way everyone assumed. He was her hero because he'd liberated her from her prim and proper act and gave her the excuse to find her identity. That speech he'd made five years ago had changed her life forever. And for the first time in ages, she truly felt grateful towards him.

Meanwhile, as Mario stepped back inside, the grin remained plastered on his face. All of his questions had been answered, at last he understood why she'd treated him that way.

And most importantly, he could finally let go. He could start his life with Pauline on a good note, without having to think about his past.

"So," his wife said as he returned to their table. "What happened?"

"Eh... It's all fine now. We spoke and... I get it. I get it all now."

"Really?" She looked deep into his big blue eyes, placing her hands on his after he'd sat down. "Tell me all about it. Did... did she hurt you again in any way?"

"No, no! So you see, you know how she always used to get kidnapped, and..."

As Pauline listened to his explanation, Mario couldn't remember ever feeling so in love... and so satisfied with his life.

* * *

 **Finally, I got it finished! By the way, about Peach dying her hair purple: I didn't just think of that randomly, I can't remember if it was her or Paper Peach but one of them says in paper jam that they'd like to dye their hair that colour, so... that's where I got that from. Also, how did you like it? Hopefully it wasn't too random an ending. And lastly, I hope you don't think Peach's story was too long or complicated. Please review and let me know what you thought of this!**


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